Ebony Karim is the CEO and founder of The Beauty Genie, which is vending machine brand that provides easily accessible haircare products to Black and Brown consumers. The Beauty Genie’s mission is to bridge the gap between minority college students and people of color and their limited access to haircare products.
What inspired you to create this business?
It was me being a college student at Chicago State University and not having accessible beauty supplies. You would think being in a large urban city that there are beauty supply stores everywhere, but that was not the case in this particular neighborhood. Fast forward years later, and I thought that this would be the best time to launch this product. I did a lot of market research and some beta testing and thought “Okay, let’s do it.”
Why vending machines?
When you think about accessibility and placement, you can literally place a vending machine anywhere and have 24/7 access.
What kind of products should we expect in the vending machine?
We are very strategic with our collaborations and partnerships. We want to be able to sponsor and foster other Black-owned beauty brands. Some of our major brands include Mielle Organics, Curlmix by Kim Lewis, and Pink Luster products, [and] other smaller entrepreneurs who are trying to make a footprint.
How can other businesses get involved?
We are on all social media platforms @TheBeautyGenie and also visit our website at www.beautywishesinabox.com.
